Let’s get something straight right out of the gate. Most of you are already running projects. You just refuse to call them that. Instead, you hide behind softer, more comfortable language: “It’s just a task.” “It’s a quick initiative.” “We’re just updating something.” “It’ll only take a few hours.” No. Stop. That mindset is exactly
You’re not stuck. You’re not lost. You’re overthinking your way into irrelevance. And it’s costing you. I talk to thousands of transitioning service members every year. Different branches. Different ranks. Different experiences. But there’s one thing that shows up over and over again: You get out… and immediately get in your own way. Not because
Let me start with something that might irritate a few people. Most of the limitations in your life are self-imposed. Not all. Life throws punches. Circumstances matter. Timing matters. People matter. But if you’re honest with yourself, a significant percentage of what’s holding you back isn’t external. It’s internal. It’s the quiet, comfortable, completely believable
I'm not going to sugarcoat this. Your meetings are not helping your projects. They are not driving alignment. They are not improving engagement. They are not accelerating delivery. But… they are bleeding time, money, and momentum out of your organization at a scale most leaders don’t even comprehend. And the worst part? Most people think
Most project managers think they’re good at stakeholder engagement. They believe they communicate clearly. They believe they “keep people informed.” They believe they understand who matters and why. And then the project misses deadlines. Or blows the budget. Or delivers something nobody actually wanted. Their belief is shot. And suddenly the same people are asking:
Let’s get something straight right out of the gate. Your resume is not an NCOER. It’s not an OER. It’s not your brag sheet. It’s not your award citation. And if you treat it like any of those… you’re already losing. I’m going to be blunt here, because that’s what you need. Most transitioning service
There’s an old Native American story I’ve loved for years. You’ve probably heard some version of it. An elder is talking with a young person and says: “Inside every one of us are two wolves. One is fear, anger, envy, insecurity, doubt, and ego. The other is confidence, discipline, courage, humility, faith, and resolve. They
This one has been sitting with me for a while. (Don’t worry, I’m not participating in the “Let’s see if my uniform still fits in case I get called back in” stupidity on social media. This isn’t an easy one to write, and it’s probably not an easy one to read either. It may irritate
Let’s get one thing straight right out of the gate: strategy without execution is just expensive optimism. Organizations love to talk strategy. They invest months building it. Executive offsites, polished slide decks, market analysis, SWOTs, five-year visions. It all looks sharp. It all sounds smart. It all feels like progress. But none of it matters
It took me a long time to get here. And I don’t mean “here” as in a title, a business, or some polished version of success people think they see online. I mean, HERE ON LINKEDIN… comfortable enough in my own skin to put my thoughts out into the world without flinching every time someone
